The Barnes & Noble in Royal Oak is paying about $300,000 a year in rent, about half of the original lease's requirement of $600,000 a year.

Written by

Barnes & Noble could be closer to leaving downtown Royal Oak after city commissioners voted Monday night to help a fast-growing software and marketing firm relocate from the city's outskirts to the second floor of the building currently in use by the bookstore.

The state of Michigan already has tentatively granted $375,000 to worldwide firm Vectorform under its Business Development Program, which extends grants, loans and other deal sweeteners to firms that promise to make investments or add jobs in the state. Vectorform, whose clients include Chrysler and DTE Energy as well as ...